Written Answers Tuesday 30 May 2006

Scottish Executive

Adoption

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individual social workers must declare and register if they have any links to adoption agencies operating in Scotland.

Robert Brown: All social workers are required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), the regulatory body for the social service sector. When applying to register they are required to provide full details of their employment history. They are not required to declare any specific interests to the SSSC as part of the registration process.

Agriculture

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether land currently grazed solely by horses is considered to be agricultural land eligible for the Single Farm Payment, where such land has historically received payment under a Common Agricultural Policy support scheme.

Ross Finnie: Land grazed by horses may be considered eligible for the purposes of claiming the Single Farm Payment providing the person claiming:

  Meets the definition of a farmer;

  Has Single Farm Payment entitlements;

  Has the land at his disposal for the minimum period;

  Respects the appropriate statutory management requirements, and

  Maintains the land in good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC).

  Whether the land was used as a basis for a claim under a previous subsidy regime or not, is immaterial.

Agriculture

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the system of calculation for the Single Farm Payment in Scotland from an historical to an area basis.

Ross Finnie: In Scotland we elected to base the Single Farm Payment on the historic system consistent with the presumption in the 2003 CAP reform package that member states should consider the simple historic basis as their first option. We will review the position at the appropriate time with no prejudice either for or against a move to an area-based system. Decisions will be taken in the light of how the industry has adapted to the new regime during its first few years of operation and what will best meet the future needs of Scottish agriculture.

Agriculture

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that any changes introduced as a result of the 2008 Common Agricultural Policy review by the European Commission will benefit (a) Scottish agriculture and (b) the Scottish equine industry.

Ross Finnie: Scottish agriculture remains a vital component of our rural economy and we have repeatedly made it clear that further changes in the Common Agricultural Policy must take account of the legitimate needs of farming communities; we have not given specific consideration to the impact of such changes on the Scottish equine industry.

Agriculture

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek changes during the 2008 Common Agricultural Policy review to provide the same benefits in respect of grazing lands for horses in Scotland as currently exist in other parts of the European Union.

Ross Finnie: We will consider options for change against of our aspirations to help create a more prosperous and sustainable farming industry in Scotland.

Agriculture

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if a single farm payment is made in euros, that information is published by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department.

Ross Finnie: Our policy is to publish information about recipients and amounts of subsidy under the single farm payment and other new support regimes without exception. The details available on our website show the subsidy payments paid to date www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/ grants/LatestPayments .

  The details were first published on 3 February 2006 and are updated on a weekly basis. Initially these details excluded non-standard payments, such as those made in Euros for technical reasons, but these have now been included. They are not identified separately as the amounts paid have been converted to sterling in order to provide a consistent report.

Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill to include provisions for debtors with no income and no assets and, if so, what measures it will introduce.

Allan Wilson: The Executive is aware that there are people who need debt relief but are unable to bankrupt themselves because are not "apparently insolvent" under the current law, including people with no income and no assets.

  The Executive set up a Debt Relief Working Group to look at the issue of access to bankruptcy under current law. The group reported in June 2005, and the Executive is considering their recommendations for reform.

  It is intended that consideration of the report will be completed in the near. A decision has yet to be made on what measures should be introduced in the bill, if any.

Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will exempt housing benefit from the proposal for bank arrestment in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill.

Allan Wilson: The Executive intends that the reforms in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill will strike a fair balance between creditors and debtors. As part of striking the right balance, the diligence of arrestment and forthcoming will be reformed to offer much improved debtor protections.

  The new protections include a protected minimum balance where a bank account is arrested, currently of £370. This will make sure that all debtors on low incomes of any kind will have enough money to live on, including debtors being paid housing benefit. There is also protection under the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, which provides for housing benefit to be paid direct to a landlord where a tenant is in substantial rent arrears.

  There are currently therefore no plans to exempt housing benefit from bank arrestment.

Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its analysis of the consultation on protected trust deeds and when it will bring forward any changes to the existing legislation.

Allan Wilson: The consultation on the protected trust deed draft regulations closed on 28 April 2006, after a two week extension over Easter.

  Responses are available now on the Scottish Executive website and an analysis of the responses will be published on the website by the end of May 2006.

  http://sh45inta/Publications/2006/05/10105143/0.

  It is anticipated that the regulations will be brought into force at the same time as the bankruptcy reforms in the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill are commenced, which will be at a date yet to be decided.

Birds

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25525 by Rhona Brankin on 16 May 2006, when copies of the findings of the Review of Urban Gulls and their Management in Scotland will be made available to local authorities.

Rhona Brankin: The report of the review was published on the Scottish Executive’s website on 18 May 2006 and printed copies were circulated to local authorities during the week beginning 22 May.

Birds

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25525 by Rhona Brankin on 16 May 2006, when the findings of the Review of Urban Gulls and their Management in Scotland will be published on the Executive’s website.

Rhona Brankin: The review was published on the Executive’s website on 18 May.

Care of Elderly People

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that (a) local authorities receive full funding for free personal care, (b) all charges for assistance with food preparation are removed and (c) all pensioners who have been charged for the food preparation element of free personal care are fully refunded.

Lewis Macdonald: We have provided substantial funding to local authorities for the delivery of free personal care. For the 2006-07 financial year, we have increased the provision by £9 million to £162 million.

  Local authorities can only be expected to provide assistance with the preparation of food free of charge if the individual concerned is assessed as requiring such assistance. If an individual believes that they have been charged incorrectly for any service covered by free personal care, that is a matter which ought to be raised directly with the local authority, who are responsible for providing the service.

  Health Department officials have written to local authorities reminding them of the legal requirements set out in the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, in respect of assistance with the preparation of food.

Care of Elderly People

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners in Dumfries and Galloway were in receipt of free personal care in 2005-06.

Lewis Macdonald: The latest published figures, for July to September 2005 show that:

  There were 1,384 older people in Dumfries and Galloway receiving personal care services for free in their own homes. In addition, 12 older people in Dumfries and Galloway received direct payments to purchase and manage the personal care services they assessed as needing.

  There were around 800 older people supported by Dumfries and Galloway council in Care Homes. Of these, 296 were self-funders receiving £145 per week for personal care services.

Crofting

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much crofting land has been decrofted for housing development in each of the last 10 years.

Rhona Brankin: This precise information is not available. Following analysis of the available data over the last 10 years it is estimated that an average of 210 directions are issued to decroft 55 hectares of croft land for housing development each year.

  Given that approximately 750,000 hectares are under crofting tenure, 55 hectares represents about 0.007% of croft land per annum.

Education

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent to support parental involvement and representation in schools in each of the last two years, broken down by type of support and local authority and excluding expenditure to support the school board system.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is not available centrally, as the relevant information supplied to the Scottish Executive by local authorities in their Local Financial Returns only specifies their spending on school boards.

  However, in 2004-05 £565,300 and in 2005-06, £736,450 was spent on the promotion of parental involvement by the Scottish Executive. This included consultation and information on the Parental Involvement Bill; the Making the Difference series of leaflets, the preparation of a CD Rom of good practice and the Parentzone website.

Education

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions it places on local authorities regarding the allocation of support for learning resources.

Robert Brown: It is for local authorities, taking account of their own individual circumstances, to decide how to allocate support for learning resources in order to provide for children and young people with additional support needs.

Education

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have left the profession in each year since 1999.

Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12214 on 25 November 2004, which details the numbers of teachers leaving employment relevant to your request from the Scottish Executive Teacher Flow Survey.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Ferry Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has yet agreed with the Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) pension fund trustees and CalMac a method of ensuring that the interests of the members of the pension fund will be protected, irrespective of the outcome of the tender for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry routes; whether it considers that the lack of any such agreement is an impediment to the tender process or requires alteration of the tender timetable; whether it will confirm that the tender process will not proceed if there is no agreement reached to protect the interests of the members of the pension fund, and whether it will make a ministerial statement on the matter.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is continuing to work within the parameters of domestic and European legislation to ensure the continuation of pension rights and entitlements of transferring staff. As a result of a recent proposal put to the CalMac Pension Fund Trustees by the Executive, we hope that early agreement will be reached and that the tendering process can proceed.

Ferry Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies remain interested in submitting tenders for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services and which companies these are.

Tavish Scott: Following the decision by Western Ferries in early May to withdraw from the tender process there remain two companies interested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. The Executive’s policy in procurement exercises such as this is not to reveal the identities of the companies who have submitted Pre-Qualification Questionnaires to the Executive as part of the tender process.

Ferry Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether only two companies remain interested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services; if so, whether that situation is in accordance with the law in relation to tendering and what the position will be in the event that one of the companies withdraws from the tendering process.

Tavish Scott: There remain two companies interested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. There is no legal impediment that prevents the Executive from continuing with the competitive tendering exercise with only two potential tenderers.

Ferry Services

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why operators of passenger-carrying cruise vessels in inland and coastal waters will have to apply for an alcohol licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 when such vessels are already fully regulated in respect of the sale of alcohol by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

George Lyon: The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 responds to the changing social climate in relation to alcohol in particular the detrimental effect on individuals and their community. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 ensures those who sell alcohol as part of a commercial entertainment service are aware of their responsibilities through training and are held to account through the Licensing Board. This Parliament considered this to be a necessary measure which goes beyond the requirements of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for operators to have an alcohol policy in place.

Ferry Services

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why operators of ferries will not have to apply for an alcohol licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

George Lyon: Ferries were exempted on the basis that they are offering a lifeline service to which alcohol is ancillary. However, in recognition that a greater degree of control had to be exercised, ministers also took powers which will enable the sheriff to make an order prohibiting the sale of alcohol completely on any specified route.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions ministers have applied exemptions under (a) section 29(1)(a), (b) section 30(b)(ii) and (c) section 28(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in respect of requests received in each month since January 2005.

Ms Margaret Curran: Most requests for information are handled routinely and not all are recorded or counted centrally. In line with centrally produced guidance, some requests for information are notified to the Scottish Executive’s FOI Unit and recorded centrally. The Scottish Executive have published a report on information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for requests received during 1 January to 31 December 2005; this is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website. The report provides information on the use of exemptions, and shows the level of use of each of these sections by the Scottish Executive. A report on the information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for the first six months of 2006 will be published later in the year.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests which it has received under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 it has taken longer than the 20-working-day period to respond to in each month since January 2005.

Ms Margaret Curran: Most requests for information are handled routinely and not all are recorded or counted centrally. In line with centrally produced guidance, some requests for information are notified to the Scottish Executive’s FOI Unit and recorded centrally. The Scottish Executive have published a report on information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for requests received during 1 January to 31 December 2005; this is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website. The report provides information on the number and percentage of requests dealt with out-with the 20 working-day time period for the each of the quarters of 2005. A report on the information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for the first six months of 2006 will be published later in the year.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals who have made requests to it under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and were notified that the cost for retrieval of the requested information would exceed £600 continued with the information request and paid the required copying and administrative fee.

Ms Margaret Curran: Most requests for information are handled routinely and not all are recorded or counted centrally. In line with centrally produced guidance, some requests for information are notified to the Scottish Executive’s FOI Unit and recorded centrally. The Scottish Executive have published a report on information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for requests received during 1 January to 31 December 2005; this is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website. The Scottish Executive provides information up to the £600 prescribed amount to the applicant free of charge, and is not obliged to comply with the request where it is estimated the costs will exceed this amount. The report provides information on the number of times the Scottish Executive have refused information because complying would exceed the upper cost limit (section 12), and the number of times the Scottish Executive have issued a fees notice for disclosure of information (section 13). A report on the information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for the first six months of 2006 will be published later in the year.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests were made to it under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in each month since January 2005.

Ms Margaret Curran: Most requests for information are handled routinely and not all are recorded or counted centrally. In line with centrally produced guidance, some requests for information are notified to the Scottish Executive’s FOI Unit and recorded centrally. The Scottish Executive have published a report on information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for requests received during 1 January to 31 December 2005; this is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website. The report shows the number of requests notified to the FOI Unit for each week in 2005. A report on the information requests handling in the Scottish Executive for the first six months of 2006 will be published later in the year.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are offered to (a) GPs, (b) nurses, (c) pharmacists and (d) hospital-based doctors in respect of reporting adverse drug reactions.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation and safety of medicines are reserved and are the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines run the UK’s spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme.

  Guidelines on reporting of adverse drug reactions through the Yellow Card Scheme are provided to health professionals in the British National Formulary. Health professionals (including doctors, dentists, coroners, pharmacists and nurses) are asked to report suspected adverse reactions to any therapeutic agents, both prescribed products and those available over the counter, including herbal products. Detailed guidelines for health professionals and patients on what to report and how to report suspected adverse reactions are available at www.yellowcard.gov.uk. This website also contains an electronic Yellow Card form for reporting of suspected adverse reactions.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of reports of adverse drug reactions in Scotland made by (a) GPs, (b) hospital-based doctors, (c) nurses, (d) pharmacists and (e) patients.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation and safety of medicines are reserved and are the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines run the UK’s spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme.

  The MHRA publishes on its website anonymised aggregated reports of suspected adverse drug reactions received through the Yellow Card Scheme. These include data for individual drugs and analysed by reporter type.

  The number of reports of suspected adverse drug reactions sent to MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines via the Yellow Card Scheme from reporters in Scotland in 2005, according to type of reporter, is shown in the table.

  

 Reporter Type
 Number of Reports


 General Practitioner
 492


 Hospital doctor
 544


 Nurse
 340


 Pharmacist
 426


 Other healthcare professional
 165


 Patient
 63

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died as a result of adverse drug reactions in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.

George Lyon: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Deaths from the Adverse Effects of Drugs and Medicaments in Therapeutic Use1, by NHS Board Area of Residence

  

 
 1995
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Scotland
 17
 26
 15
 19
 26
 26
 29
 26
 24
 20


 Argyll and Clyde
 -
 3
 1
 3
 4
 3
 5
 3
 2
 2


 Ayrshire and Arran
 -
 2
 3
 2
 4
 1
 3
 1
 2
 1


 Borders
 -
 -
 1
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 3
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Fife
 -
 1
 2
 -
 2
 4
 4
 -
 -
 -


 Forth Valley
 -
 3
 -
 -
 2
 1
 1
 -
 2
 2


 Grampian
 -
 4
 2
 -
 4
 1
 4
 1
 -
 4


 Greater Glasgow
 7
 5
 2
 4
 1
 4
 5
 3
 2
 -


 Highland
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 2
 2
 1


 Lanarkshire
 -
 3
 -
 2
 1
 1
 -
 2
 3
 2


 Lothian
 3
 3
 4
 4
 2
 5
 5
 8
 4
 4


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Tayside
 3
 1
 -
 1
 2
 4
 1
 5
 4
 1


 Western Isles
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -



  Note: 1. 1995-99, ICD9 codes E930 - E949; 2000 - 2004, ICD10 codes Y40 - Y59.

  The answer gives the numbers of deaths caused by the adverse effects of drugs and medicaments in therapeutic use. Additionally, drugs and medicaments cause a significant number of deaths by poisoning (mainly associated with drug abuse, accidental poisoning or intentional self-poisoning).

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are offered for monitoring adverse drug reactions in children.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation and safety of medicines are reserved and are the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines run the UK’s spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme.

  Guidelines on reporting of adverse drug reactions through the Yellow Card Scheme are provided to health professionals in the British National Formulary. Health professionals (including doctors, dentists, coroners, pharmacists and nurses) are asked to report suspected adverse reactions to any therapeutic agents, both prescribed products and those available over the counter, including herbal products. Detailed guidelines for health professionals and patients on what to report and how to report suspected adverse reactions are available at www.yellowcard.gov.uk. This website also contains an electronic Yellow Card form for reporting of suspected adverse reactions.

  In relation to adverse reactions in children, the guidelines provided in the British National Formulary make it clear that reporting of all suspected adverse drug reactions in children is strongly encouraged through the Yellow Card Scheme. This is because less is known about the effect of drugs in children. Similar guidance is available at www.yellowcard.gov.uk.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what literature or guidance it provides to patients to ensure that they know how to report an adverse drug reaction.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation and safety of medicines are reserved and are the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines run the UK’s spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme.

  Patients, parents and carers can report suspected adverse reactions through the Yellow Card Scheme. The MHRA supplied Yellow Cards for patients to a number of National Health Service outlets including all General Practitioners, community and hospital pharmacies in autumn 2005. The Yellow Cards provide guidance notes on when and how to report suspected adverse reactions. Posters were also sent to all outlets with details of how to report. The MHRA leaflet Taking medicines - some questions and answers about side effects also includes information on how to report a suspected adverse reaction. This was launched in December 2005 and the MHRA is working with the Commission on Human Medicines’ Patient Information Expert Advisory Group to discuss how this leaflet and the patient Yellow Card can be further promoted and made available. The MHRA is also developing a communication campaign, which includes articles in magazines, and working with voluntary organisations to promote patient reporting of suspected adverse reactions.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider researching the barriers to reporting adverse drug reactions, as suggested in the recent British Medical Association report, Reporting Adverse Drug Reactions.

Lewis Macdonald: The regulation and safety of medicines are reserved and are the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines run the UK’s spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme.

  The MHRA has welcomed the recent British Medical Association report, Reporting Adverse Drug Reactions. The MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines are committed to promoting the reporting of suspected adverse reactions through the Yellow Card Scheme and are considering how best to take the recommendations forward.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) local authority and (b) registered social landlord properties have been demolished in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Figures for demolitions of local authority and registered social landlord dwellings are shown in the following table.

  Demolition of Local Authority and Registered Social Landlord Dwellings: 2000-01 to 2004-05

  

 
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Local Authority
 3,384
 3,458
 2,389
 2,087
 1,488


 Registered Social Landlord
 1,006
 1,500
 944
 1,876
 2,786



  Source: Scottish Executive Development Department Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics). Registered Social Landlord data provided by Communities Scotland.

Information Technology

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which domain names have been registered with the European Registry of Internet Domain Names (EURid) on its behalf; when it intends to use them; what their intended uses are, and how much it cost to register these domains.

Mr Tom McCabe: The UK Cabinet Office reserved the Second Level Domain (SLD) scotland.eu during the sunrise period on behalf of the Executive.

  After the sunrise period a Phase II period when public bodies could make applications began. The Executive’s International Projects Division, via Demys the Intellectual Property Management Agency, applied for and was granted:

  Alba.eu

  Albain.eu

  Ecosse.eu

  Escocia.eu

  Freshtalentscotland.eu

  Friendsofscotland.eu

  Globalfriendsofscotland.eu

  Global-friends-of-scotland.eu

  Iskocya.eu

  Schotland.eu

  Schottland.eu

  Scotlandistheplace.eu

  Scotlandnow.eu

  Scotland-now.eu

  Scozia.eu

  Shotimaa.eu

  Skocia.eu

  Skotia.eu

  Skotija.eu

  Skotland.eu

  Skotlanti.eu

  Skotska.eu

  Skotsko.eu

  Skottland.eu

  Skozja.eu

  Sotimaa.eu

  Szkocja.eu

  Yralban.eu.

  Each name cost £100 (excluding VAT) to process + an annual management fee of £110 (excluding VAT).

  All the above names now point either to www.scotlandistheplace.com.

  The intention is to ensure that those searching for online information about Scotland are directed to the appropriate promotional site which deals with the country’s international image and fresh talent initiative.

  When the process moved onto Phase II and applications were opened to everyone. IPD reapplied for two names rejected under Phase I. A decision is still pending.

  Freshtalent.eu

  Fresh-talent.eu

  If successful these will cost £150 (excluding VAT) + annual management charge of £110 (excluding VAT)

  In addition Scotland on Line, the Executive’s web hosting contractor bought six names on behalf of the website.

  Scottishexecutive.eu

  Scottish-executive.eu

  Scottishgovernment.eu

  Scottish-government.eu

  Scottishadministration.eu

  Scottish-administration.eu.

  The cost of these is expected to be £100 (excluding VAT) each, but no invoices have yet been received.

  They have been bought to protect and prevent abuse of the Executive’s online identity. All point to www.scotland.gov.uk.

Information Technology

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its reasons are for not registering ".sco.eu" or ".scot.eu" with the European Registry of Internet Domain Names (EURid).

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that "sco" and "scot" are appropriate abbreviations for Scotland, especially for use on the internet.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why Scotland does not have a top-level internet domain name.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is the international organisation responsible for classifying Top Level Domains. The Top Level Domains for countries are all currently two letters long e.g. .es (Spain), .fr (France), .jp (Japan).

  Scotland is included within the two TLDs allocated to the United Kingdom - .uk and .gb, however the Executive has also recently acquired a new Second Level Domain (SLD) - scotland.eu.

  The domain scotland.eu was registered with EURID (European Registry of Internet Domain Names) because it clearly satisfied the criteria which allowed EU member states to apply for domains related to geographical areas. While the abbreviations "sco" and "scot" do have some merit as internet abbreviations, they also have limitations, in particular they are not clearly geographically descriptive. Therefore sco.eu and scot.eu did not satisfy the criteria for domains related to geographical areas and any attempt to reserve them would have been unsuccessful.

  The Executive believes that Scotland.eu, combined with the Top Level Domain (TLD) .uk will clearly convey Scotland’s online identity.

Information Technology

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the campaign for a Scottish internet domain and the aims of the dotSCO organisation.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive believes the current arrangements allow Scottish identity to be appropriately represented on the Internet in a world, European, and UK context.

Maternity Services

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of mother-and-baby units.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is committed to allowing all mothers who require hospital care for post-natal depression to be admitted alongside their babies. Dedicated provision of perinatal health care is in place to serve the West of Scotland, Grampian and Forth Valley, and provision to serve Highland, Tayside, Fife, Lothian and Borders will be put in place later this year.

Mental Health

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures NHS Scotland has introduced to ensure that people with severe mental illness are encouraged to join programmes to combat obesity, increase exercise or promote smoking cessation, in light of the levels of physical health difficulties among this group, evidence that those with severe mental illness live ten years less than other people and Rethink’s current campaign highlighting mental health as something which should feature in mainstream public health reforms.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is committed to reducing the Health Inequalities experienced by people with mental health problems. NHS Health Scotland’s priorities for 2006-07 as outlined in their Business Plan mirror ministerial priorities. Within this the main projects this year are focussed on tackling health inequalities (Prevention 2010) and also on key topics of tobacco, physical activity, food and health and alcohol. We expect NHS Health Scotland to underline and underpin each of these priority programmes and for mental health issues to be woven into the delivery of these programmes.

  It is widely recognised that physical activity can have a positive effect on mental health and wellbeing as well as on physical health. The Scottish Executive’s Health Department (SEHD) has funded Paths to Health to a total of over £1.75 million in the past three years. The Paths To Health project is a leading delivery agent for Scotland’s Physical Activity Strategy and its success continues to grow. The project has now supported over 90 local schemes to develop walking initiatives in communities, many of which are in deprived areas. Of these 90 schemes, 10 are specifically designated as mental health recovery groups.

  Through funding provided by the Scottish Executive to ASH (Scotland), a number of pilot projects are currently underway in the mental health arena which will help to establish best practice in smoking cessation. In addition, a national framework for moving mental health services towards being smoke-free is currently being developed. It is intended this framework will deal with the specific issues faced by mental health services and their users, particularly in relation to smoking cessation.

  The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the new General Medical Services Contract from April 2006 rewards General Practices for providing an annual review of all patients with severe mental illness. This includes their physical health needs and specifies smoking, weight checks and other risk factors for Cardiovascular Disease and other illnesses. GP practices are specifically required to ensure that the patient is offered appropriate health promotion and prevention advice, depending on their needs. This indicator has been introduced in response to concerns about the extra physical health needs of people with severe mental illness. In addition, other indicators in the same part of the QOF encourage practices to chase up people who do not respond to invitations for this check, as well as ensuring they have a care plan or similar, to optimise care for their mental health.

  The Health Department is providing £47,000 to support a project being undertaken at The State Hospital to reduce levels of obesity and improve the physical and mental health of patients by facilitating a healthier lifestyle through therapeutic activity and a healthy diet. This is a five year research project being piloted in one ward commencing January 2006. Following evaluation of the pilot, it is the intention to roll the programme out to all wards during the subsequent four years.

Mental Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long women needed to wait to receive treatment for post-natal depression in (a) Scotland, (b) each NHS board and (c) each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women were treated with (a) prescribed medication and (b) cognitive behavioural therapy for post-natal depression in (i) Scotland, (ii) each NHS board and (iii) each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women were diagnosed with post-natal depression in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally. However, in 2004 NHS National Services Scotland ISD carried out a project aiming to estimate the number of women in Scotland who had given birth in 2002 and were diagnosed with depression within a year of the birth. The results and full discussion are shown as part of the Clinical Outcomes Indicators Report 2004 and can be found at www.indicators.scot.nhs.uk/Outcomes/2004_Health_Indicators_Report.pdf .

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many mothers prescribed antidepressants during pregnancy went on to have (a) stillborn births and (b) low birth weight babies, also expressed as a proportion of the number of mothers who were prescribed antidepressants during pregnancy in each year since 1999 and broken down by NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not available.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned in the last three years into the extent of post-natal depression and treatment options for mothers who suffer from it.

Lewis Macdonald: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO does not normally commission research but supports research projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the research community in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughout the health care and academic community.

  A qualitative investigation on "Woman’s Experiences of Psychosis following Childbirth" is currently being funded through a CSO NHS research programme and a CSO funded research fellowship entitled "Couples and postnatal depression – how do partners define support at times of stress?" finished in 2004. A further project entitled "Mellow babies – improving outcomes for infants with mothers with postnatal depression" is being funded by the Scottish Executive’s social research health team. CSO would be pleased to consider further research proposals into this condition. These would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

  The National Research Register (NRR), a UK wide research database, records 22 on-going projects on postnatal depression and over 200 completed projects on that subject. Details of these projects are available from the NRR’s website at www.nrr.nhs.uk.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many asylum seekers living in Scotland were diagnosed as having a mental health problem in each year since 2000, also expressed as a percentage of the asylum seeker population.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many refugees living in Scotland were diagnosed as having a mental health problem in each year since 2000, also expressed as a percentage of the refugee population.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were diagnosed as having a mental health problem in each year since 2000, also expressed as a percentage of the overall population.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Different prevalent studies have estimated between one in four of the population and one in six of the population suffer mental health problems in any one year. In most cases these are short-term and no or little medical intervention is required.

  Another estimate on diagnosed mental health problems can be based on the number of patients first seen for the condition in general practices participating in Practice Team Information (PTI). PTI date are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices, covering the full range of age, sex, deprivation and urban/rural classes in Scotland. Figures are standardised to the age, sex and deprivations distribution of the Scottish population. Estimates are shown in the following table.

  

 Calendar Year
 Estimated Number of Patients Diagnosed
 % of Overall Population


 2000
 241,100
 4.5


 2001
 241,800
 4.5


 2002
 246,300
 4.6


 2003
 239,000
 4.5



  Between 1% and 2% of the population are estimated to have a severe and enduring mental illness such as schizophrenic or bipolar disorder.

Mental Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidences of a child being taken into care have been linked to a parent of that child fabricating or inducing illness in the child, a process commonly referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in each year since 1990.

Lewis Macdonald: Under the terms of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, responsibility for the monitoring of children taken into care is a matter for local authorities. Children may be taken into care on a voluntary basis and the Scottish Executive does not hold this data. Where it is considered that compulsion may be required local authorities may make a referral to the Principal Reporter. Munchausen syndrome by proxy is not and has never been a ground for referral, as listed in section 52 of the act.

Planning

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23456 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 March 2006, to what extent the procedure for public inquiries held by reporters under the Electricity Acts is determined by those set out for inquiries under planning legislation in Scottish Office Development Department Circular 17/1998, Planning and Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiries and Hearings: Procedures and Good Practice; whether this circular will remain in place for the purposes of the Electricity Acts, or whether it intends that changes in procedures provided by the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill for planning inquiries will be applied by analogy to inquiries held under the Electricity Acts.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are no procedure rules for public inquiries held under the Electricity Act 1989. For that reason reporters routinely request in such cases that parties consider whether they would be prepared to agree to apply by analogy the Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) (Scotland) Rules 1997 and thus the content of SODD Circular 17/1998 concerning Procedures and Good Practice. Changes in these rules to deliver the policy intentions underlying the Planning Bill will be the subject of consultation. Consideration will be given at that stage to whether the rules should also cover inquiries held by reporters under legislation other than the Planning Acts.

Population

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the population was in each administrative area of Highland Council in each year from 1997 to 2005.

George Lyon: Population estimates are not available for administrative areas within Scottish local authorities. However, population estimates by small areas (data zones) are available for 2001 to 2004 and a "best fit" estimate for the Highland administrative areas has been calculated by aggregating data zones. The aggregated data zones may not correspond exactly to the administrative area boundaries.

  Population Estimates by Highland Council Administrative Area, 2001-04

  

 
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Badenoch and Strathspey
 11,649
 11,568
 11,683
 11,900


 Caithness
 25,552
 25,281
 25,208
 25,164


 Inverness
 66,562
 66,545
 66,743
 67,733


 Lochaber
 18,791
 18,591
 18,630
 18,789


 Nairn
 11,386
 11,318
 11,534
 11,707


 Ross and Cromarty
 49,358
 49,347
 49,605
 49,967


 Skye and Lochalsh
 12,156
 12,102
 12,208
 12,374


 Sutherland
 13,466
 13,388
 13,469
 13,706


 Highland Total
 208,920
 208,140
 209,080
 211,340



  Data zones cover the whole of Scotland and were developed to make small area statistics available through the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics project. Data zone population estimates for the whole of Scotland, together with details of the methodology used to compile them, are available on the General Register Office for Scotland’s website http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/small-area-population-estimates/0104sape/index.html. The data zone population estimates for 2005 are scheduled to be published in October 2006.

Road Accidents

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents were reported on the A9 in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland only holds records of fatal and injury accidents. The number of injury accidents recorded on the A9 between Perth and Scrabster between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  A9 Perth to Scrabster

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 9
 33
 74
 116


 1998
 9
 32
 73
 114


 1999
 12
 37
 62
 111


 2000
 9
 35
 82
 126


 2001
 10
 33
 68
 111


 2002
 5
 26
 83
 114


 2003
 9
 31
 89
 129


 2004
 10
 27
 81
 118


 2005
 2
 25
 64
 91


 Total
 75
 279
 676
 1,030



  From 1 April 1996 the A9 between Latheron and Wick was redesignated as A99(T) and the number of injury accidents recorded on this section between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  A99 Latheron to Wick

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 0
 4
 7
 11


 1998
 0
 2
 5
 7


 1999
 2
 1
 3
 6


 2000
 2
 1
 4
 7


 2001
 0
 6
 3
 9


 2002
 0
 3
 3
 6


 2003
 0
 3
 8
 11


 2004
 1
 7
 7
 15


 2005
 1
 0
 5
 6


 Total
 6
 27
 45
 78



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Road Accidents

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities were caused by road accidents on the A9 in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Tavish Scott: The number of fatalities recorded on the A9 between Perth and Scrabster between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  A9 Perth to Scrabster

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 10


 1998
 12


 1999
 12


 2000
 10


 2001
 16


 2002
 6


 2003
 11


 2004
 11


 2005
 2


 Total
 90



  From 1 April 1996 the A9 between Latheron and Wick was redesignated as A99(T) and the number of fatalities recorded on this section between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  A99 Latheron to Wick

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 0


 1998
 0


 1999
 2


 2000
 2


 2001
 0


 2002
 0


 2003
 0


 2004
 1


 2005
 1


 Total
 6



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Road Accidents

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents were reported on the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Inverness and Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochry and (g) Dunbeath and Wick in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland only holds records of fatal and injury accidents. The number of injury accidents recorded on the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Inverness and Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochry and (g) Dunbeath and Scrabster between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  (a) A9 Helmsdale to Dunbeath

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 0
 0
 0
 0


 1998
 0
 0
 2
 2


 1999
 0
 0
 1
 1


 2000
 0
 0
 1
 1


 2001
 0
 1
 4
 5


 2002
 0
 1
 3
 4


 2003
 0
 0
 4
 4


 2004
 0
 1
 2
 3


 2005
 0
 0
 2
 2


 Total
 0
 3
 19
 22



  (b) A9 Dornoch to Helmsdale

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 0
 5
 11
 16


 1998
 0
 5
 8
 13


 1999
 1
 9
 5
 15


 2000
 0
 5
 9
 14


 2001
 0
 8
 9
 17


 2002
 0
 7
 10
 17


 2003
 1
 5
 9
 15


 2004
 2
 6
 6
 14


 2005
 1
 4
 11
 16


 Total
 5
 54
 78
 137



  (c) A9 Inverness to Dornoch

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 3
 11
 16
 30


 1998
 2
 9
 19
 30


 1999
 5
 12
 16
 33


 2000
 1
 5
 29
 35


 2001
 1
 9
 23
 33


 2002
 2
 6
 19
 27


 2003
 3
 9
 23
 35


 2004
 2
 7
 24
 33


 2005
 1
 11
 21
 33


 Total
 20
 79
 190
 289



  (d) A9 Kingussie to Inverness

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 0
 2
 18
 20


 1998
 4
 1
 18
 23


 1999
 4
 4
 16
 24


 2000
 2
 3
 16
 21


 2001
 3
 2
 10
 15


 2002
 0
 5
 16
 21


 2003
 2
 5
 19
 26


 2004
 1
 2
 16
 19


 2005
 0
 4
 8
 12


 Total
 16
 28
 137
 181



  (e) A9 Pitlochry to Kingussie

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 2
 10
 10
 22


 1998
 1
 4
 14
 19


 1999
 0
 5
 11
 16


 2000
 4
 13
 10
 27


 2001
 3
 8
 10
 21


 2002
 0
 3
 13
 16


 2003
 2
 5
 16
 23


 2004
 2
 4
 21
 27


 2005
 0
 3
 9
 12


 Total
 14
 55
 114
 183



  (f) A9 Perth to Pitlochry

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 2
 4
 9
 15


 1998
 2
 10
 7
 19


 1999
 2
 6
 9
 17


 2000
 1
 4
 14
 19


 2001
 2
 2
 9
 13


 2002
 3
 3
 11
 17


 2003
 1
 6
 9
 16


 2004
 2
 5
 8
 15


 2005
 0
 3
 2
 5


 Total
 15
 43
 78
 136



  (g) A9 Dunbeath to Scrabster

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 2
 1
 10
 13


 1998
 0
 2
 4
 6


 1999
 0
 0
 3
 3


 2000
 1
 5
 1
 7


 2001
 1
 3
 3
 7


 2002
 0
 0
 11
 11


 2003
 0
 1
 9
 10


 2004
 1
 1
 3
 5


 2005
 0
 0
 10
 10


 Total
 5
 13
 54
 72



  From 1 April 1996 the A9 between Latheron and Wick was redesignated as A99(T) and the number of injury accidents recorded on this section between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  A99 Latheron to Wick

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 1997
 0
 4
 7
 11


 1998
 0
 2
 5
 7


 1999
 2
 1
 3
 6


 2000
 2
 1
 4
 7


 2001
 0
 6
 3
 9


 2002
 0
 3
 3
 6


 2003
 0
 3
 8
 11


 2004
 1
 7
 7
 15


 2005
 1
 0
 5
 6


 Total
 6
 27
 45
 78



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Road Accidents

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities were caused by road accidents on the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Inverness and Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochry and (g) Dunbeath and Wick in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Tavish Scott: The number of recorded fatalities on the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Inverness and Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochry and (g) Dunbeath and Scrabster between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  (a) A9 Helmsdale to Dunbeath

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 0


 1998
 0


 1999
 0


 2000
 0


 2001
 0


 2002
 0


 2003
 0


 2004
 0


 2005
 0


 Total
 0



  (b) A9 Dornoch to Helmsdale

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 0


 1998
 0


 1999
 1


 2000
 0


 2001
 0


 2002
 0


 2003
 1


 2004
 2


 2005
 1


 Total
 5



  (c) A9 Inverness to Dornoch

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 3


 1998
 4


 1999
 5


 2000
 1


 2001
 1


 2002
 2


 2003
 4


 2004
 3


 2005
 1


 Total
 24



  (d) A9 Kingussie to Inverness

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 0


 1998
 4


 1999
 4


 2000
 3


 2001
 3


 2002
 0


 2003
 2


 2004
 1


 2005
 0


 Total
 17



  (e) A9 Pitlochry to Kingussie

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 2


 1998
 2


 1999
 0


 2000
 4


 2001
 6


 2002
 0


 2003
 3


 2004
 2


 2005
 0


 Total
 19



  (f) A9 Perth to Pitlochry

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 2


 1998
 2


 1999
 2


 2000
 1


 2001
 5


 2002
 4


 2003
 1


 2004
 2


 2005
 0


 Total
 19



  (g) A9 Dunbeath to Scrabster

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 3


 1998
 0


 1999
 0


 2000
 1


 2001
 1


 2002
 0


 2003
 0


 2004
 1


 2005
 0


 Total
 6



  From 1 April 1996 the A9 between Latheron and Wick was redesignated as A99(T) and the number of fatalities recorded on this section between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:

  A99 Latheron to Wick

  

 Year
 Fatal


 1997
 0


 1998
 0


 1999
 2


 2000
 2


 2001
 0


 2002
 0


 2003
 0


 2004
 1


 2005
 1


 Total
 6



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Road Accidents

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Dundee in each of the last five years.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is published in Table 40 of Road Accidents Scotland 2004 , copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib .number 38777). The table gives the figures for each year from 1995 to 2004.

  The provisional numbers of road accidents and casualties for 2005 will be published on Thursday 15th June 2006.

School Meals

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much local produce is used in preparing school meals for each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in (i) Dundee, (ii) Glasgow, (iii) Aberdeen, (iv) Edinburgh and (v) Stirling.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its expenditure on public services in the central belt it estimates will be utilised by residents of (a) the Highlands and Islands, (b) the Scottish Borders and (c) Dumfries and Galloway in each of the next three years.

George Lyon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which wards in the Dundee City Council area currently qualify for a social inclusion partnership (SIP).

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The approval of Regeneration Outcome Agreements (ROAs) in October 2005 meets our Partnership Agreement commitment to merge Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) with Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs).

  The Community Regeneration Fund (CRF), which replaced SIP funding from April 2005, is allocated to Community Planning Partnerships and targeted principally on the basis of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004.

  Dundee CPP has five key areas which it is targeting as follows:

  CRA 1 – Menzieshill(part),Charleston, Lochee and Beechwood.

  CRA 2 – St Mary’s, Ardler and Kirkton.

  CRA 3 – Hilltown, Stobswell and Fairmuir.

  CRA 4 – Mill o Mains, Fintry(part) and Whitfield (part).

  CRA 5 – Mid Craigie, Linlathen and Douglas.

  In line with the guidance on ROAs, Dundee CPP is also targeting on a thematic basis two communities of interest: vulnerable young people and young carers.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects received social inclusion partnership (SIP) funding in 2005-06.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Social Inclusion Partnership Fund was replaced by the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) from April 2005. The selection of actual projects is managed locally by Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs). Based on the grant claims submitted by all 32 CPPs, over 1,300 projects were supported from the new CRF in 2005-06.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many social inclusion partnership projects operating in Dundee were closed down in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  This information is not held centrally.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much social inclusion partnership funding has been allocated in Dundee in each year since 1999 and what proportion was specifically designated for regeneration.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) funding allocated to Dundee since 1999 is as follows:

  

 Year
 Funding (£)


 1999-2000
 3,660,000


 2000-01
 3,059,000


 2001-02
 3,398,100


 2002-03
 3,552,921


 2003-04
 3,515,958


 2004-05
 3,515,958



  All of the funding was targeted at regeneration.

  The SIP fund has been replaced by the Community Regeneration Fund from April 2005.